TASCHEN, one of the world’s leading publishers of illustrated art books, has recently published a new book that Disney fans will definitely want to ask Santa for this Christmas. The Walt Disney Film Archives: The Animated Movies 1921 – 1968 is the latest book in the TASCHEN “Archives” series and it is a dazzler.
This is me (or my hand) holding my iPad while watching one of my favorite animated features of all time, Snow White and Seven Dwarfs. Yes, on my iPad!
D23, Disney’s official fan club, continues to provide interesting and unique experiences for the Disney fan base. Disney Animation fans are especially in for a treat this year with some of the offerings that D23 will be providing throughout 2016.
So, this “little thought experiment” I came up with in January was supposed to take only a few months, and ended up spanning all of 2015. Usually, a delay like that would embarrass me, but this time I think it’s sort of nice. Bookending the year with the start to and completion of a series that I am proud of feels gratifying, especially since I am teeming with unfinished, (not-even-started) projects all the time. Looking back, I am still in 90% agreement with my choices, although I now find Spot from The Good Dinosaur to be a must-have addition to the list. Anyhoo, I’m sure there’s no one following along who’s been completely simpatico with me, and this final choice will assure many readers that I am an animation rube. However, I hope you read the entire argument as to why I believe this endearing, enduring mouse deserves the top spot. Oh boy!
© Disney
Donald Duck, our favorite irascible web-footed friend, is celebrating his 81st birthday today. He made his debut in Walt Disney’s Silly Symphony short The Wise Little Hen in 1934 and he’s been making us laugh ever since.
You’re not dreaming — Disney Animation‘s 1959 classic feature film Sleeping Beauty is back on Blu-ray on today (a Platinum Edition Blu-ray of Sleeping Beauty was last released exactly 6 years ago today in 2008). This time, the animated motion picture is getting the Diamond Edition treatment from The Walt Disney Studios with some cool new bonus features along with being available for the first time in Digital HD.
The funny people at Drunk History have released a new video pertinent for our animation history-savvy readers—they’ve created a (mostly accurate) version of how Walt Disney and Ub Iwerks created Mickey Mouse.
Dick Jones, the voice of Pinocchio in Walt Disney’s revered animated film of the same name, passed away on July 7, 2014, at his home in Northridge, California. He was 87 years old. The cause of death has been undetermined.
Sixty-four years ago today, Walt Disney released his second princess fairy-tale story in hopes of matching the success of his first, Snow White. It had been eight years since the studio had come out with a full-length feature. “Package films” like Melody Time and Fun and Fancy Free had instead been released due to wartime budget cuts. The future of Walt Disney Studios depended on Cinderella doing well because Disney had put much more money into the film than was recommended. In the end, however, Cinderella did extremely well, being one of the top grossing films of 1950 and an enduring classic for every generation since its release.
“We’ll have a Dalmatian Plantation! What an inspiration!”
Walt Disney’s seventeenth feature-length animated film 101 Dalmatians came out January 25, 1961 and was a resounding success for the company. Sleeping Beauty had been a failure and had cost the company tons, so there was actually talk of shutting down the animation department. Walt was averse to the idea, but something had to be done to cut costs. 101 Dalmatians would be made for $2 million less than its predecessor thanks to a new Xeroxing technique that eliminated the ink department and it would be the highest grossing film of 1961 in the United States.
